Invicta Vlogs
Teacher training opportunity at the Valley Invicta Academy Trust
By Emily Bolton
(former Invicta student, currently studying History at Warwick University)
Dear All,
I am writing these blog posts as part of a work experience opportunity given to me by Invicta Grammar School with the view of going into teacher training next academic year. It has been an informative process that has helped me to make important decisions regarding my career. The staff at Invicta have been extremely helpful in ensuring that I understood the different routes into teaching, and in helping me to decide on the right route for me. I thought that I would outline the routes that were available to me, as this might help those of you who are thinking about applying to become a teacher in the future.
Schools Direct
This route is great for people who have been in a different career for a few years and decide that they would like to become a teacher. For people changing career, you can apply for a salaried Schools Direct placement. For those who have just completed their degree, unsalaried placements are available.
The key feature of the Schools Direct route is that it involves more time in the schools learning the practical side of teaching through experience, as opposed to the PGCE route which involves more time spent at university. The Schools Direct pathway does still involve attending university and completing assignments in order to become qualified as a teacher.
PGCE
The PGCE route is most popular with people who have come straight out of university from studying their undergraduate degree. It requires paying typically £9, 250 in tuition fees, but student loans are available. The PGCE tends to be subject specific for those who want to teach at Secondary Schools. You can also apply to study a PGCE for Primary School ages.
The PGCE involves being on placement in one of two schools throughout the year from Monday to Thursday, and then studying at the university on the Friday. This provides both practical experience of teaching and learning more about the subject you will teach itself. It is a year long course that involves completing a number of assignments.
These are just two of the many pathways into teaching, and they are popular routes to follow. I hope that this has helped to make it clearer what each pathway entails. The Schools Direct pathway is offered through the Valley Invicta Academy Trust, and if you are interested in this pathway then contact Mrs Donovan.
